Starting with the goblin extermination

The door to the Sleeping Dragon Tavern was gently pushed open.

The stuffy air that had just hit me in the tavern was carried away by the backdraft of the night wind.

In a corner, a simply dressed bard was strumming his lute and singing a northern tune familiar to Logan.

The singing was interspersed with the vulgar noises of the adventurers.

"If you dare to switch cards again, believe me, I'll shove your axe up your ass!"

"Come on! Let's see who can shove whom!"

At a table on the left side of the tavern, Thorin, Papa, and Baron were eating bread and drinking ale to stave off hunger.

Thorin casually looked up and saw three figures entering the tavern.

puff--!!

The old dwarf sprayed a mouthful of ale directly from his nostrils and mouth, drenching Baron across the table.

But Thorin completely ignored the mournful looks in Baron and Papa's eyes.

Because Logan was walking in front.

The blond swordsman who had recently twisted the head off a goblin in the Ash Forest was now tightly biting a piece of pink slime.

The jelly dangled out of my lips like a long, big tongue, swaying back and forth as I walked.

Beside him, a beautiful little girl, also holding a piece of jelly in her mouth, was laughing so hard she was doubled over.

Elsa, the usually aloof half-elf, was now standing beside the two of them, her sapphire-like eyes curving into beautiful crescents.

You've had too much to drink? It's only been a few glasses!

"Cough cough cough... By Apologos, am I fucking hallucinating from drinking fake alcohol?"

Thorin coughed violently and pounded his chest.

Baron and Papa, who were standing nearby, also turned around and were completely dumbfounded.

They simply couldn't reconcile the naive fellow before them with the adventurer who had recently pierced a monster's neck with a single sword strike.

Logan, however, remained unfazed.

Is it that strange?

Logan looked down at the jelly near his mouth.

Okay, it's kind of funny.

He swallowed the jelly with a gulp and walked over with a calm expression.

"Let me introduce you. This is Elsa's sister, Lily."

Logan naturally pulled out two chairs, gesturing for Elsa and Lily to sit down.

Thorin paused for a moment, then realized what was happening.

He glanced at Lily, then at the pipe emitting acrid smoke beside him, and almost reflexively smothered it with the sole of his shoe. He even wiped it on his stained clothes with his large hand.

"Ahem... So you're Elsa's sister," Thorin's voice unusually rose, and he forced a kind smile. "No wonder Logan said this new friend doesn't drink."

"Ah! Lily is so cute!" Papa immediately moved closer. "I've always wanted a little sister as pretty as you! You're so much better than that quiet, taciturn Baron!"

After saying that, Papa elbowed Baron without any hesitation. Baron scratched his head sheepishly and greeted Lily with a smile.

Although she was a little nervous about the unfamiliar environment and meeting strangers, Lily was naturally lively, and with Papana's unique friendliness, the two quickly became familiar with each other, chattering away.

Elsa watched Lily quietly from the side, happy that her sister had made a new friend.

But after a short while, she stopped laughing.

"Is Sister Papa a ranger? That's amazing!"

"Of course! My arrows have eyes!" Papa proudly raised her chin and patted her chest. "Today I even shot through the eyes of three goblins in the forest with one arrow! Logan and the others were able to succeed so easily thanks to my cover!"

Wow! Really? That's amazing!

Lily touched Papa's longbow with adoration, then said seemingly without any guile.

"But I think Logan is amazing too! You know, that night, Logan came back covered in blood, carrying my sister—mmm!"

Before she could finish speaking, Elsa covered Lily's mouth, pinching the little girl's soft cheek in anger and embarrassment, and warned through gritted teeth in a low voice, "Lily! If you talk nonsense outside again, I'll sew your mouth shut with a needle!"

Although the sentence was not finished, the amount of information it contained was already explosive.

Thorin and Baron exchanged a glance, their gossip-loving instincts blazing.

So this is what they called the big mission.

The two men raised their glasses, their eyes darting back and forth between Logan, whose face remained unchanged, and Elsa, whose ears were flushed red, while they let out bursts of strange laughter.

As for Papa, she had already imagined a grand scene of a hero rescuing a damsel in distress, and she just stood there watching Elsa giggle like an idiot.

"Ahem. Let's order."

Logan coughed lightly, decisively changing the subject.

He turned his head slightly, his gaze meeting Elsa's in mid-air. They both looked away as if electrocuted, and Logan felt a sudden, inexplicable tingling sensation rise within him.

Stop thinking about it, let's order first.

Logan skipped the first page of the menu and flipped to the expensive monster food section at the back.

[Wild Boar Ribs with Spiked Back], [Giant Goat Stew], [Grilled Spider Legs]...

Grilled ribs and stews were alright, but this grilled spider legs... Logan was a little curious about this high-protein monster, but considering there were women and children here, he gave up.

He ultimately chose the [spiky wild boar ribs].

I wonder if the chefs here can handle wild boar properly. After all, even ordinary wild boar meat will have a gamey smell if it's not handled well, let alone a large, spiky wild boar.

"Give me the largest portion of wild boar ribs, and a basket of white bread, a plate of roasted potatoes, and a pot of fresh fish stew."

"Add another glass of apple juice for her," Logan said, pointing at Lily.

After ordering, the atmosphere at the table became completely lively.

The girls chatted and laughed, and even Elsa, who was usually aloof, let out a few soft laughs, which was quite unusual.

Logan, Thorin, and Barron discussed future developments, with semi-transparent words quietly appearing in their eyes.

......

【Skill】:

Thrust LV3 (62/100)

Wolf Attack LV1 (47/100)

Parry LV1 (12/100)

......

Looking at these fluctuating numbers, Logan felt reassured.

Sure enough, I still had to grind goblins. One raid on a medium-sized camp greatly improved my proficiency in various combat skills.

At this rate, I should be able to train [Thrust] to LV4 mastery level soon, thus officially triggering the job selection process.

A warrior? Or something else? Or...?

I'd rather not think about the worst-case scenario.

Logan then checked the proficiency level of [Wolf Attack].

It would be best to upgrade the [Wolf Strike] skill before taking up the post. Once this special dash attack skill is upgraded, the resulting specialization should be extremely powerful, leading to a significant leap in your strength.

The subsequent plans are clear.

Tomorrow I'll go to Instructor Soben's for a lesson to see if I can improve my combat skills. Then, if Elsa's injuries are fully healed, I'll take her along to the outer areas to grind for more experience.

If Thorin and his crew don't plan to rest afterward, then the two teams can team up again to pull off a big heist.

This ever-increasing sense of fulfillment made Logan feel very comfortable.

boom!

One after another, exquisite glasses were smashed heavily in front of Logan, interrupting his thoughts.

The glass was filled with a rich, dark red liquid, as thick as fresh blood. If you brought it close, you could smell a mixed aroma of fruit and sandalwood.

This is the top-quality wine, 【Hawthorn Berry Wine】, which costs 1 silver coin per cup.